Train driver roles open to 18-year-olds under new UK rules

People aged 18 can now apply to train as train drivers under rules that came into force this summer, the UK Government has said.

The previous minimum age for train-driver training was 20. The Department for Transport says applicants can now seek entry after school or college without a degree or a waiting period before beginning training.

The change applies across Britain and may be relevant to school and college leavers in Wales considering railway careers. The announcement does not set out separate Welsh recruitment arrangements, vacancies or eligibility beyond the reduced minimum age.

The Government says national trainee pay ranges from £27,000 to £33,000, while the role involves paid training and apprenticeship opportunities. It says applicants need to work safely, stay focused under pressure, make sound decisions and work professionally as part of a team.

It also says fewer than 4% of train drivers are under 30, fewer than 12% are women and a quarter of the present workforce will reach retirement age by 2030. Those figures were supplied as the Government's rationale for widening the recruitment pool.

Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said lowering the age was intended to create opportunities for younger people and support the future passenger and freight railway workforce.

What this means for Wales

For an 18-year-old in Wales, the rule change removes the former age barrier to applying for train-driver training. Whether a role is available, and the recruitment process for it, will depend on individual operators and vacancies.